You know when a new no-brainer product hits the market and you say to yourself, “Of course! What a genius idea?”

That was the exact thought that popped in my head as I sat there at Java Mama. I was in a meeting with the sweetest fellow Momma discussing the great benefits of my small business becoming an ambassador for a brilliant local company. The problem, I didn’t have the type of money needed. She threw out some other options and then she said the sentence that set off the light bulb, “Of course, (in these groups) there won’t be child care available!”

How many other entrepreneurial moms out there hear that same thing?

The thing is, I started my business with the main goal of being able to spend more time with my babies. I wanted the best of both worlds: mommy life and business. I jumped on the entrepreneur train because I wanted to use my talents in a career, but I also didn’t want to miss out on fields trips and parent lunches.

BR Mompreneur

As she continued to talk, one thought led to another and then another until I literally heard the lightbulb ding. A local Mompreneur group! We could support and learn so much from each other. We could support each other.

I am a huge Lisa Bevere fan. ‘Lioness Arising’ was the first book of hers that I read. She talks about how the female lions hunt together with their fellow lionesses. They kill together. They bring the food back to feed their young. They do it together.

Get this? They do it in a noncompetitive fashion. They slay together, y’all!

(Incidentally, they also share mates but I personally think we can pump the breaks and rap up the analogy there. Boundaries.)

How much stronger would we be for our families, our businesses, and our communities if we came together in support of each other? We’re raising babies, businesses, and maintaining happy homes. It’s no joke. I’m actually writing this during nap time with a pile of laundry in view. Raise your hand if you’re with me! 🤚

About me.

I’m Megan Howard Kelly, proud wife and Mommy of two of the sweetest little girls you’ll ever meet. I am a former reporter/producer at WAFB channel 9, and most recently, alumni of Baton Rouge leadership class (2017-18 – the best class).

Over the last decade, I’ve run a business and served as Creative Director at Encounter Church. Currently, I am the owner of MHK Consulting. We’re a branding and marketing company that aims to help you win! Most importantly, I’m founder of BR Mompreneurs.

I’m on the hunt for fellow Mompreneurs in the greater Baton Rouge area to be a part of our new group. This group’s goal is to connect, equip, and empower. You can expect weekly posts focusing on personal growth, business education, digital marketing, and networking. I’ll have tips on easy ways you can grow your brand and online reach. You can also look forward to LIVE chats on everything ‘Mom’ and ‘Entrepreneur’.

Plus, keep your eyes out for Mompreneur meet-ups. I hope you’ll join with me and watch us grow together

If there is a mosquito within a 1 mile radius, it will find me. I am that person in our family that mosquitos seem to love which my husband finds as a convenient thing for him. Unfortunately, two of my three children “inherited” this trait from me. Not only do mosquito bites cause lots of itching and huge red welts if you are like me and my kiddos, but the bite of a mosquito can be the culprit of unwanted illness such as West Nile Virus. You may have seen recent news headlines here in the Capital City making us aware yet again this year that mosquitos in our area have tested positive for West Nile Virus. In this two part series, we will discuss what exactly is this virus, what does it mean for your time outside as the summer winds down, and how can you protect your family?

West Nile virus (WNV) is a virus that is transmitted through the bite of an infected Culex mosquito. The life cycle of the WNV involves mosquitoes feeding on infected birds. The virus then remains in the salivary glands of the mosquito, and when that mosquito “feeds” on humans, WNV can be passed onto the human host.

WNV has been documented across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India since the mid-1900s, but it did not make its appearance here in the United States until 1999. This virus was “imported” to the US by way of New York- most likely by a person who may not have even known they had the virus. Since 1999, WNV has been detected in every state except Hawaii and Alaska. We often see outbreaks of WNV during the mid to late summer months of June to September when the Culex mosquito is most common. In 2016, there were 40 cases of human infection with WNV here in Louisiana. By comparison, there were 335 cases of WNV in humans in 2012 here in Louisiana. So far this year, there have been mosquitos that have tested positive for WNV here in Baton Rouge, but from available resources, it does not appear that there have been any confirmed human cases thus far.

Ok so now to what everyone really wants to know…how common is WNV and what should parents be on the lookout for in regards to symptoms? Great news here- about 80% of people who become infected with WNV will have absolutely no symptoms. For 20% of people infected, they will most commonly have West Nile fever which is a mild, self-limited illness with symptoms that include fever, body aches, headache, vomiting and/or diarrhea and fatigue. Approximately 1% of those that are infected with WNV will come down with the serious form of the illness which can include swelling of the brain, known as encephalitis, or inflammation and swelling of the covering of the brain and spinal cord, known as meningitis. Symptoms of neurologic involvement with WNV include high fevers, stiff neck, confusion, muscle weakness, and seizures. For this 1% of infected people, WNV can be deadly.

There is no specific treatment for WNV. Since it is a viral infection, antibiotics are not helpful. For those with the more serious form of WNV, hospitalization might be required in order to provide fluids as well as pain control. There is lots of ongoing research into possible treatment options for those with encephalitis or meningitis from WNV, but at this time, all of these treatments are considered experimental. Also, at this time, there is no vaccine to prevent WNV.

Now, we all know that the chance of getting a mosquito bite in the next few months is almost as much of a guarantee as the afternoon rain showers here in the South, so how do you know when to be worried? No need to panic at the first sign of fever during the summer months as there are lots of other circulating summer viruses other than WNV (In fact, I have been seeing a particularly bad “fever” virus making the rounds in the past few weeks here in Baton Rouge). Now, if your child ever has a fever along with a drastic change in behavior, weakness or other neurologic changes, immediate medical evaluation is needed (and this is really true anytime of the year and not just during WNV season).

Stay tuned for the second part of this blog series where we will discuss the best ways to protect yourself and your kiddos from the bite of those pesky mosquitos.

“Ask the Experts” is a series on Baton Rouge Moms where local experts share their thoughts, opinions and answer questions relating to health, wellness, parenting and living in Baton Rouge.

Disclaimer: The purpose of this site is to share BRM moms’ experiences with food, fitness, health and life as well as opinions from some of our local experts. This content is for informational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for professional medical advice. When it comes to your health or the health of your child, please be sure to contact your physician.

You know the feeling. The sign posted on the door of daycare announcing the current illness that is floating around. Oh the dreaded sign! “We want to inform you that cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease have been diagnosed here at the center.” GREAT! There are likely two questions that are running through your head: 1) So what are we going to do when our child comes down with this latest illness? and 2) What exactly is Hand, Foot and Mouth disease? Well, that first question is one that I have struggled with many times in my own household, and unfortunately, I can’t help you answer, but that second question…I CAN help with that one!

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease

Hand, foot and mouth (HFM) disease is a very common viral illness in children, particularly those under 5 years of age. Older children, teens and even adults can get Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease, but it is much less common as most people have had HFM by that time and therefore have natural immunity to these viruses. This illness is typically seen in the late summer to fall, but especially here in Louisiana with our mild climate, I will see cases of HFM year round. The virus is spread through contact with droplets of someone who is infected, so it is spread by sneezing and coughing as well as the saliva that children “share” with each other on toys. It is not uncommon to see mini “epidemics” of HFM that spread through daycare centers or other child care facilities. The incubation period for HFM is 3-6 days, so I generally tell parents to be on the lookout for signs of HFM for about 1 week after “the sign” is posted at daycare.

What are the symptoms of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease

As with any other virus, each child may present differently, but most children will start out with fever. In the next few days, children will often develop the classic rash that really can be anywhere on the body but, as the name suggests, most commonly is seen on the hands, feet, and around and in the mouth. The rash looks like small blisters or ant bites, and you will find these spots on the palms and soles of the feet (there are not a lot of illnesses that will cause a rash on the palms and soles but HFM is one of them).

Especially in infants and toddlers, I will almost always see the rash in the diaper area and on the backs of the thighs as well. If you look inside the mouth, you may see ulcers on the inside of the lips or tongue as well as in the back of the throat. These blister lesions will typically continue to pop up over the first 3-5 days of the illness. After that time the rash will slowly begin to fade, and parents may even notice peeling of the skin where the blisters were located in the coming week. Finally, some children will have changes to their fingernails or toenails about 4-6 weeks after hand, foot, and mouth disease, and it may appear like the nail is “splitting” horizontally and coming off. No worries…there is a new nail under there!

Since HMF is caused by a virus, antibiotics will not make the illness or the rash go away. The mainstay of care for HFM is making sure children are drinking lots of liquids and using acetaminophen or ibuprofen to help with fever. Sometimes the throat can be so painful for children that they will not want to drink liquids, and then the concern is that they could be become dehydrated. When it comes to liquids to offer, I often say that when kiddos are sick, they can have free reign of the liquids…so that means juice, milk, popsicles, Slurpees or even ice cream. Just something that has liquid form to it! If your child is refusing to take liquids, make sure and call your pediatrician as there are some occasions where a special mouthwash can be used to help with the pain. As far as the rash goes, most children are not bothered by the rash. It doesn’t hurt or itch typically and may only cause mild discomfort when walking for those children that have their little feet covered in blisters.

Now for the last remaining question that every parent asks, “When can my child go back to daycare/school?” and the answer might surprise you. Once your child is fever free for 24 hours and tolerating liquids well, they can return to school. Unlike chicken pox, the hand, foot, and mouth disease rash itself is not contagious! The only time I would recommend keeping kids out of daycare in regards to the rash is if they have many open sores that they are itching as these could easily become superinfected with bacteria (this is not very common with HFM whereas with chicken pox, superinfections of the skin are much more common). The virus that causes hand, foot, and mouth disease can be shed through respiratory droplets for 1 week after the illness and can be shed in the stool for several weeks following symptoms, so by no means are children kept out of daycare or school for this period of time. This is again one of those times where you hope your daycare is doing a good job of wiping down toys, washing hands, and practicing very good diaper changing hygiene!

For those of you who have been “lucky” enough to experience Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease already, you may say, “Wait a minute! My daycare told me that she couldn’t return until the blisters were crusted/gone.” Well, as I said above, fever free for 24 hours is the main criteria for return to daycare or school, but child care facilities are able to set their own return policies when it comes to infectious diseases like hand, foot, and mouth disease, so in many cases, their policy will be the “law of the land.”

So if the next dreaded sign on the door at daycare reads “Hand, foot and mouth disease,” take a deep breath as you are now armed and ready to deal with this unpleasant but all too common illness of childhood. And as with any illness, if you have specific questions or concerns about your child, please make sure and give your pediatrician a call…it’s what we are here for!

“Ask the Experts” is a series on Baton Rouge Moms where local experts share their thoughts, opinions and answer questions relating to health, wellness, parenting and living in Baton Rouge.

Disclaimer: The purpose of this site is to share BRM moms’ experiences with food, fitness, health and life as well as opinions from some of our local experts. This content is for informational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for professional medical advice. When it comes to your health or the health of your child, please be sure to contact your physician.